Kevin Shattenkirk is tied for 24th in the NHL for points by a defenseman, has been on the ice for fewer goals against than any other member of the St. Louis Blues with at least 400 even-strength minutes, gets significant time on both special teams units and has earned the respect of rival forwards.

On most other teams, the 24-year-old from Greenwich, Conn., would be the clear-cut No. 1 defenseman. But Shattenkirk plays with Alex Pietrangelo, who is a year younger, puts up even better offensive numbers, plays more than anyone on the Blues' penalty kill and was second-team All-NHL last season.

"It's good for both of us, because we're good friends, and it's great because we can use each other and talk to each other," Shattenkirk says. "I think we see the game pretty similar, so it's nice to have someone like that to be able to talk through situations if he's watching from the bench or vice versa. That kind of drive to both be better and better every game, it breeds a healthy completion, and it forces us to really play at our best all the time. It's been fun to have him around. You see the success last year, and I'd like to have the same myself."

In addition to talking regularly with Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk spends a lot of time with Blues assistant Brad Shaw, whose attention to detail and video have helped Shattenkirk refine his defensive skills as he progresses from being a puck-mover to a complete, all-around defenseman. As far as that goes, it is worth noting that Shattenkirk's Corsi numbers, measuring the number of shot attempts for and against the Blues while he is on the ice at even strength, are second only to wunderkind forward Vladimir Tarasenko among Blues players who have been in at least 30 games this season.

"He was drafted and projected as an offensive player, and I think the one thing that surprised me and most of us here in St. Louis when he got here was how competitive he is at the puck," Shaw says. "It's led to his ability to kill penalties for us at a real high level, and get on the ice more often. I think that helps any player, to experience as much of the game as he can.

"He's a great young guy that is always looking for more information and trying to apply it as soon as possible. His instincts are off the charts offensively, and when he's moving his feet and playing assertively, he's as good an offensive guy as there is in the league. …

"Shatty's got a great attitude toward the game. When he messes up, he wants the feedback and he wants to know how he can get better. He is ultra-competitive, and I think that's a rarity in a smaller skill guy."

Shattenkirk is 5-11; only 19 defensemen in the NHL are shorter. The position favors giants who can easily separate their opponents from the puck. That does not mean that there is not room for a smaller man on the blue line, and the career tracks of Brian Campbell, Kimmo Timonen and Lubomir Visnovsky — all shorter, all excellent, all in their mid-to-late 30s — suggest Shattenkirk will benefit from experience as he masters the tricks of the trade.

"In the defensive zone, it's an area that I'd love to be able to end plays quicker," Shattenkirk says. "It's hard for me to take guys off pucks, especially some of the bigger forwards. Having a better stick and quicker feet down low is something I'm always working at and striving to be better at. The more situations you play through, and the more areas you play down low, and you start seeing plays over and over again, it becomes kind of like a muscle memory-type thing.

"Repetition is what's going to make you better and better, and that's what you need to do as a player. You just need to grow every day and every game, and I think every game is a learning experience."

The work Shattenkirk puts into improving his game is noticeable in the progress he made since breaking into the NHL in 2010 with the Colorado Avalanche, who traded him to the Blues midway through that season. Most notably, Shattenkirk had 20 penalty minutes this season, a rate of 0.42 per game, compared to 0.74 a game last season, when he had 60 in a full 82-game schedule.

For a defenseman who does not rely on physical play, penalties usually indicate getting caught out of position. That happens to Shattenkirk less and less all the time, although, ironically, he took roughing and tripping minors in the Blues' home ice-clinching win over the Chicago Blackhawks on April 27. They were his first penalties in seven games.

"I've played against him a bunch in Colorado and St. Louis, and he's a solid player back there," Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "He puts up big numbers, so that draws attention, but more than anything, he'd be good for them if he wasn't putting up points. He makes good plays, he plays well defensively, and he logs a lot of minutes. Every time we see his name on the board, it's no secret we want to key on him and make it tough for him.

"The biggest compliment a defenseman can have is being consistent every night. He's been good every time we've seen him, and he's not the biggest player, but he plays well positionally, he finishes his checks, and he's good away from the puck. All those things wrapped up, it makes it tough to see him."

Sharp, who was close to a point-a-game player each of the past two seasons before dropping back during an injury-plagued 2013, didn't get an even-strength point with Shattenkirk on the ice for the Avs or Blues. Of course, goals against the Blues when Shattenkirk is playing are a rarity — there were only 24 in 48 games this season.

"He's gotten real consistent and real strong defensively," Blues defenseman Ian Cole said. "He's always had that natural ability to get shots through traffic and get pucks on net. Maybe not huge bombs at the point, but pucks down to get rebounds, and cause playable pucks to the net. Being able to really shore up and be a defensive guy on the ice too, on top of getting those points, it's really cool to be able to see somebody mature like that."

Cole has seen Shattenkirk's progress for a long time. They were teammates in the U.S. National Team's development program as teenagers, and then reunited by the trade. Shattenkirk's hope, beyond lifting the Stanley Cup, is to wear the stars and stripes again at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

"It's been my goal to be able to be considered for it, and with the guys around this league, it's an honor to even be mentioned in that kind of class of guys," Shattenkirk said. "To go would be amazing. I've been fortunate to play with USA teams growing up, and that's your ultimate goal, is to play in the Olympics, because you know how much you love playing for your country. That's the ultimate."